Special Education Services

Special Education Supervision Cooperative

ESU 10’s director of special education assists schools in the development and maintenance of special programs for students in addition to helping with interpretation of special education laws. Coordinators for resource, speech, autism and special education services in general are available to help school districts and ESU 10 staff provide educational opportunities for special education students. Contact the Special Education Department at 308-237-5927.

Audiology

Several audiological services are offered including:

Comprehensive hearing evaluations for children birth to 21 yrs. of age.

Analysis, testing, and troubleshooting of hearing aid and cochlear implant devices used by students.

Consultation on FM system/auditory trainer device purchased for use at school

Fitting and adjusting school amplification devices and assessment of classroom acoustics.

Improving Learning for Children with Disabilities (ILCD) is the process by which schools evaluate and make improvements in the area of Special Education. ESU 10 helps facilitate this process with ESU 10 schools, and serves as a liaison with the Nebraska Department of Education.

Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy

ESU 10 has staff available to provide physical and occupational therapy (PT/OT) services to area school districts. Physical and occupational therapy supports the child’s occupation of learning, and his/her ability to participate in educational activities and in the environment. Services are provided only if the child needs them in order to meet his/her annual IEP (Individual Education Plan) goals. School PT/OT is not based on the disability model, but on the child’s educational needs. A child may have a disability, even though they may not have difficulty in his/her school environment.

Psychological Cooperative

ESU 10 serves schools through a psychological cooperative. The ESU 10
school psychologists support Student Assistance Team (SAT) problem-solving, complete evaluations,
and assist in implementation of strategies that promote the mental well
being of students. School psychologists also help inform district staff
of best practices in special education and facilitate the Response to Intervention (RTI) process
of schools in the cooperative.

Resource Teachers

At the request of local school districts, ESU 10 provides resource
teachers to serve students and support general education teachers. Most
students served are in general education classes the majority of their
learning time with support from the resource teachers as needed.

Speech and language Services

ESU 10 Speech-Language
Pathologists (SLPs) provide service to approximately 500 students per year to area schools that contract with the Special
Education Department. ESU 10's SLPs assess
for speech or
language problems. They develope appropriate goals and objectives for
infants, toddlers, preschoolers and students through age 21 who qualify for
services based on Nebraska's Rule 51.
Services include direct services in one-on-one and group settings, students
in classroom settings, and consulting/supporting multi-disciplinary team
members (families, school staff and other service providers). Evaluation and remediation services are
provided for the following disorders or delays: speech sound, language,
cognitive-communication, fluency (stuttering), and voice.